The invention relates to jackknifing angle influencing apparatus for an articulated motor vehicle, wherein a pneumatic device is built into the apparatus around the articulation that interconnects two vehicle units and the pneumatic device exerts reaction torque against an increase of the jackknifing angle. Construction of the apparatus suitable for a trailer with a driven axle is provided with a jackknifing angle limiting unit, that limits the permissible jackknifing angle specified for the motion-dynamic characteristics.
There are several solutions to prevent the abnormal jackknifing of articulated motor vehicles, i.e. when drifting in a curve and jackknifing during braking.
Part of the known devices step into action in case of excessive jackknifing angle and prevent further increase of the jackknifing angle. These are known as locking devices.
Proposals appeared recently for the construction of apparatuses functioning more efficiently, which influence the jackknifing angle of the articulated vehicle at all times in the full range of the angles, and their operation prevents the occurrence of abnormal jackknifing angle right at the outset. The proposed apparatuses consist of a double-acting hydraulic device and a hydropneumatic energy storage unit being in hydraulic connection with the working spaces of the hydraulic device. Volumetric variation of the hydraulic working space entails the volumetric variation of the pneumatic space of the hydropneumatic energy storage unit, as well as the pressure variation; at increasing jackknifing angle the pressure increases in the pneumatic space, whereby the anti-jackknifing force increases. A flow regulating valve is arranged in the pipe connecting the hydraulic working space and hydropneumatic energy storage unit, the characteristic of which is such, that it shows increasing resistance at increasing jackknifing angular velocity. The device does not prevent the occurrence of a jackknifing angle greater, than a certain jackknifing angle in any operating position, thus it is not suitable for locking when the specified permissible maximum jackknifing angle is overstepped.
The apparatus is fairly costly, since two independent hydraulic devices and a connected hydropneumatic energy storage unit have to be built in.